Beavers Released Into Enclosure to Help Restore Wetland Habitats

Conservationists recently announced beavers have been released into an enclosure at a Welsh nature reserve to help manage essential peat bog habitat.

According to a NewsChain report, the first members of a family of beavers, a father, and son, were released into a secure fence site at Cors Dyfi Nature Reserve near Machynlleth, Powys, once used as a conifer farm.

The Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust, which handles the reserves, explained the effect of previous forestry ditches and tree stumps meant customary approaches of dealing with locations of the site like coppicing for one, were all but impossible.

Through the years, the trust has considered substitutes which include water buffalo, although now it is hoped the beavers will help initiatives to bring back the landscape to wet lowland peat bog.

ALSO READ: Over 30 Tasmanian Devil Roadkill Deaths in Woolnorth Road Found to Be Caused by Tumor Disease

(Photo: Allison Shelley/Getty Images)
A North American beaver swims in a man-made beaver dam in the new beaver enclosure during a sneak peek of the new American Trail at the Smithsonian National Zoo on August 29, 2012, in Washington, D.C.

Beavers, the 'Ecosystem Engineers'

These semi-aquatic mammals are identified as 'ecosystem engineers' which can restore wetlands and benefit wildlife by means of their foraging for trees and plants to eat, and building dams.

The family of beavers has been taken under license from the wild in Scotland, as a substitute to lethal control where the mammals are coming into conflict with farmers or landowners, and the mother will then shortly join them.

Historically, Beavers were found in British rivers and wetlands, although they were hunted to extinction by their fur, glands, and meat's 16^th century.

Different landowners and organizations are introducing them in fenced areas to enhance nature and lessen flooding, while they are now found wild too, on numerous rivers across Britain.

A Fantastic Too, a Huge Attraction

According to Dyfi project manager, Emyr Evans from Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust, "the beavers will be a fantastic tool" in their initiatives to bring back Cors Dyfi into a wet lowland peat bog again.

The study participants, the project manager added, are quite excited to have beavers at the reserve adding, it will be their job to follow and observe the beavers and gauge their positive effects.

The father, a rare black beaver, together with his son, a brown with patches of darker fur, were both released with naturalist and television presenter Lolo Williams' help.

Williams said, finally, after more than 400 years, these wonderful mammals are back where they really belong. He also said he is sure these beavers will prove to be as huge an attraction as their osprey neighbors.

The Welsh Beaver Project

Led by North Wales Wildlife Trusts, on behalf of the Wildlife Trusts in Wales, the Welsh Beaver Project has assisted Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust in its application for a license to release beavers, not to mention, financially backing their enclosure.

The team behind this project said while the beavers are not considered wild, having the mammals at a visitor hub like Cors Dyfi will help inform people about these mammals' behavior and how it can support the habitats' restoration.

Furthermore, the Welsh Beaver Project is developing plans as well, for the reintroduction of beavers into the wild, which, the said report specified, will be subject to a separate public consultation which Natural Resources Wales will lead in due course.

Conservationists are supporting the return of the once-native species for the restoration of wetland habitats, boosting other wildlife, curbing flooding, improving the quality of water, and support to ecotourism.

A similar report is shown on North Wales Wildlife Trust's YouTube video below:

RELATED ARTICLE: Australian Researchers Aim For Global Conservative Policies to Protect Endangered Marine Species

Check out more news and information on Animals on Science Times.